Okay, what gives?

ahertel0214
ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Maybe it's because it raining and dreary out - or maybe it's the PMS but I'm feel like giving in!

It is amazing to read about everyone's GREAT weight loss but I'm just not getting results.

Started working out at the end of August and finally lost my first pound at the beginning of October - right about the same time I joined MFP. ;)

But now - almost to the end of the month and I'm down a total of 5 pounds (yesterday I thought it was 8 - guess that was a big yo-yo because this morning the scale was up three pounds back to 155 & I'm 5'8").

So... all that said, I read all of these posts about 5-6-7 pounds lost in A SINGLE WEEK! I can barely do that in a whole month.

I do stick to my calories, work out like a mad woman, have never felt healthier, and I'm proud of myself but I WANT RESULTS! ;)

Ugh, thanks for letting me vent... you all are the best web community a girl could ask for! *wink*

Hope you're all doing well & have a wonderful day!
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Replies

  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Maybe it's because it raining and dreary out - or maybe it's the PMS but I'm feel like giving in!

    It is amazing to read about everyone's GREAT weight loss but I'm just not getting results.

    Started working out at the end of August and finally lost my first pound at the beginning of October - right about the same time I joined MFP. ;)

    But now - almost to the end of the month and I'm down a total of 5 pounds (yesterday I thought it was 8 - guess that was a big yo-yo because this morning the scale was up three pounds back to 155 & I'm 5'8").

    So... all that said, I read all of these posts about 5-6-7 pounds lost in A SINGLE WEEK! I can barely do that in a whole month.

    I do stick to my calories, work out like a mad woman, have never felt healthier, and I'm proud of myself but I WANT RESULTS! ;)

    Ugh, thanks for letting me vent... you all are the best web community a girl could ask for! *wink*

    Hope you're all doing well & have a wonderful day!
  • apaden4
    apaden4 Posts: 137 Member
    I have the same problem, so I don't really have any good advice for you - but we are in the same boat. It makes it so much harder not to give up, because I think I am working hard and not losing so why not eat that cheeseburger??? lol
    I just keep telling myself, I must be healthier whether I know it or not!
    If you figure out the secret, let me know!
    Good luck to us both =)
  • Razboo
    Razboo Posts: 439 Member
    From the little I know, 5 - 7 lb in a week is good for a person, so I wouldn't be discouraged on that point. I think if you lost 5lb in Oct, that's pretty good! Just think, in November, it'll be totalling 10. In December, 15. You'll be skin and bones 6 months from now.
  • Razboo
    Razboo Posts: 439 Member
    Whoops, 5 - 7 in a week NOT good.
  • Loretta_Jo
    Loretta_Jo Posts: 609 Member
    You said it could be the PMS so that means that it is or close to “that time of the month” for you. So your gain is more then likely what I always called “Lady Water Weight”. I always gained 5 pounds when that time rolled around every month.
    Also another thing….How are your clothes fitting? Are they looser then they were. It could be that you are also building muscle. Muscle weighs more then fat and takes up less room.
    Hang in there and don’t toss in the towel. Time will pass and I bet you see more results.
  • jericho
    jericho Posts: 2
    hey maybe you need to jolt your metabilisim? If you take a spoonful of apple cider vinegar once in the morning and then again at night it actually dissolves your fat! Hope this helps!
  • pamelawh
    pamelawh Posts: 162 Member
    what are you eating for your calories? what are your workouts like? I also read an article in First and it was entitled the female fat cure. in that article it stated that leafy greens and indian spices flush estrogen and plant fats block estrogen. we as women get estrogen that contributes to adding fat in our bodies from eating chicken that isn't organic, in meat and dairy products. it also stated to take milk thistle daily (get at health food store). i also know that a lot of these foods it recommends are in the meal plans that i have been eating. i lost 50 lbs from memorial day to labor day. in the past week i lost 10 lbs. i can tell you that i do strength training 4 times each week and cardio five times but i am doing 80 min of cardio one day and 60 min the next. i began that the week i lost 10 lbs. the article also says to drink 64 oz of water a day. are you losing inches? just not weight? i also believe that the right combinations of the right foods has a lot to do with it too. i know i started to buy organic meat and eggs and anything else that i can buy organically. it might be worth a try.
  • Kbrain228
    Kbrain228 Posts: 78
    Hang in there don't give up! We are here for you!
  • denmother46
    denmother46 Posts: 272 Member
    Do you think that maybe you are closer to your goal ( or final) weight than you think? I have seen many comments here that say people of your height are trying to get to 155 - 160. One website I went to said that 150 would be reasonable for my age and height (5' 7"). I have read/heard many trainers talking about how hard the last 5 "vanity" pounds are so hard to lose - even for them. Also, if you have been working out alot, maybe you have put on several pounds of muscle.

    How much more are you trying to lose?
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Wow! I was only gone for 1/2 an hour & look at all these responses! Thank you!

    Let's see, I'm going to try to answer some of the questions.

    I typically hit the gym 5 days a week - mostly cardio. 2-3 days a week I add some weight training on top of the cardio.

    I'm not really looking to get to a specific weight - just would like to fit in some of my jeans again and feel toned all around. Not in the jeans yet - really wish I would have taken measurments at the beginning of this!

    I'm also thinking about joining Team In Training for a Triathlon in April so I need to get in better shape if I am to survive that!

    Okay... forgot what some of the other questions were but I really appreciate your support! I'm off to make myself a veggie patty. ;)
  • kimford28
    kimford28 Posts: 320
    you better not give up! are you switching up your workouts?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,451 Member
    hello, MFPal Adrianne,

    I'm by NO means an expert - this is the first time in my life I have made a concerted effort to lose weight.

    I've noticed that many people have a BIG loss in the first week - and post those excited messages ;-)
    I also lost 7 pounds the first week, then gained some of it back, and for 8 weeks I've been pretty consistent in my loss goal of 1.5 lb weekly. I think the first week lulls us into a false sense of security.

    And they shouldn't be losing that much consistently: my doctor and others in the fitness industry say that isn't good for long term success and for healthy weight loss. You are working out alot - no doubt you are building muscle.

    The other thing I've noticed in reading others' posts is that the closer you are to your goal weight, the more your body seems to want you to keep a few "reserve" pounds. I don't know how much you are trying to lose, but if your picture is any indication, you look like you may be near your recommended weight for your age?? I'm TOTALLY guessing on that.

    And, it must be hard to maintain your 6-meal-a-day plan when you are working, working out, and taking care of little people. Be gentle with yourself. Eat your calories given to you by exercise. It will happen. Don't give up!

    ~Cheryl
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,451 Member
    Oh, and..........

    I am also 5'8" - and you are already below my goal weight of 158. So, I'll bet you're already HOT!

    cm
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Smiles. ;)

    Thanks CMRiverside!

    I really don't know what the suggested weight for my age is... I'm 26... how can I figure that out?

    The eating can be difficult... Tuesday is usually the hardest because my daughter has ballet & it telds to be a rushed evening.

    I also do my workouts in the evening and have a bit of a hard time with the balancing act of "eating back" the calories I've burned and trying not to eat too late at night.

    And Kim... Sorry I haven't replied to your myspace message... busy, busy days right now. But thanks for thinking of me, it was great to see! I won't give up - I knew if I posted my struggle you all would help me out of the rut. I am trying to switch up my workouts - just added Spin class two days a week to take the place of the boring old treadmill and I think I'll throw in yoga this Saturday...

    Thank you for all of you're support!
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
    Does that apple cider vinegar trick really work???
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
    Aaaaaaaadriaaaaaane!!

    You better not give up!!
    If you give up, I give up!
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    ahertel0214, Hang in there Lady! Think of this analytically. you weigh 155 lbs and are 5'8" tall. that means you don't have a heck of a lot of wieght to loose. That being the case, statistically speaking, you are going to loose less weight then someone who first started because their body chemistry is going to immediately change and they will drop all that extra water weight, not to dash any hopes for the newcommers (still, great work to all who have lost big at the beginning!), but realistically, 5 - 8 lb loss in a month is right where you want to be. Take all the facts into account. 1) loose weight too fast and you can screw up your body (gall bladder, loose skin, jaundice, fat pockets, joint issues...etc)
    and 2) you are probably gaining muscle as well, this is a good thing! This is also why, if you are working out, you shouldn't rely on a scale so much. Muscle weighs more then fat, so the scale sees muscle before you see a change, but it's there none the less.
    Look at it from the long haul, 7 months from now you will be 35 lbs lighter (less then that hopefully, 5'8" and 125 lbs is scary skinny, it means you have very little muscle mass.) Now doesn't that sound nice?
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Hi Joanna! *waves*

    You too - sorry about not replying to your last myspace message - the friends thing was cute!

    I tend to check it in the mornings as I'm leaving for work... and then again late at night so I forget to reply to people. Sorry!

    I feel like we should all start planning now to meet somewhere in a couple of years... (so everyone has time to save money and vacation time) just imagine a bunch of fit & trim MFP Gals sitting around a dinner table or poolside... ;)
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Look at all this great advice - I knew I could count on all of you!

    125 pounds... wow, I don't think I should go that low... don't think I've weighted that in more than 10 years. I'm pretty curvy and I actually LOVE my curves (The womanly ones - not the lumpy ones). I think 125 is a bit unrealistic - but maybe 135-138?

    Does anyone know how I can figure out what is a healthy weight for me - I know it varies from person to person as none of us are a "cookie cutter" body type. (Is there one?)

    Thanks AGAIN! ;)
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    The best way to do that is to get a trainer looking at you. Someone who can actually measure your bodyfat % and body type and tell you how your bone structure and muscle structure should be. There are a couple of websites that measure you at key spots (measure your bone structure) and can give you slightly more accurate goals, but generally, you want to talk to a trainer. FYI, for your height, you are already in the normal range generally speaking, so your not technically overweight. I'll see if I can dig up those sites for you, they are actually pretty good. Sadly they all call me slightly overweight (I already knew that but it still sucks hearing it). :-)
  • filergirl
    filergirl Posts: 240
    What's the weight you felt most comfortable at? When did you *feel* your best?
  • time2wrk
    time2wrk Posts: 773 Member
    I did finally ask my doctor. I am also 5'8" and currently 164. I was aiming for 150 but she said that may be too low. I am older than you and you may have a smaller frame than I do, but I would say it never hurts to ask a doc.
  • ahertel0214
    ahertel0214 Posts: 244 Member
    Felt my best/healthiest... at the end of my pregnancy. That was 4 1/2 years ago and I and came in at 191 pounds the day Juliet was born.

    My biggest but also the healthiest I've ever been.

    It's been SO long since I was down around 135-140, probably 6 or 7 years. I know my body type has changed a bit since having a baby so I'm not sure if that is realistic.

    Haven't been to the doctor FOREVER... maybe I should make an appointment. ;)
  • memeburke
    memeburke Posts: 65
    Hi aherte10214,
    Have you ever had your thyroid checked? I have a friend who said the same thing, and after a blood test the doctor said it was her thyroid problem keeping her from loosing weight. Just a thought.
    Shirley AKA memeburke
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
    It's ok Adrianne.
    No worries =)
  • devines
    devines Posts: 5
    I feel your pain....I'm doing that up/down thing and it's driving me crazy! When I first started this I lost like 7 pounds in two weeks, now I'm down two pounds one day and up two the next. I don't know what I'm doing wrong! It's soooooo frustrating, makes me want to just throw up my hands and quit trying. But I'm not, I'm determined to lose this excess 60 lbs. that I'm carrying around. Hang in there! We can do it!!!
  • sassycat
    sassycat Posts: 108
    Does that apple cider vinegar trick really work???

    I would like to know if this really works also??
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
    The only people that should be losing 5-7 pounds or more per week are those that are VERY, VERY, VERY overweight...............

    The less weight you have to lose, the slower it comes off...............

    That is being healthy for the body.
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    Alright, first thing, this thread was from like 2 years ago, so I wouldn't expect a response from the 1st page people on anything we say.

    Second, why the H**L do people keep saying that they want to throw their hands up and quit??? Quit what, being healthy, trying to better yourself, making sure you are around longer for yourself, your family, your friends?

    If you are not losing pounds, who cares? If you are eating right, exercising, making the right decisions and learning about what is good for you and what is not, then be happy with it. I'm sorry to sound mean but really, what is there to quit?
  • firepixie
    firepixie Posts: 65
    Hi, check out the shocking your system thread. They are talking about calorie cycling, meaning not eating the same amount calories each day. It works, Jillian talked about it a couple seasons ago on biggest loser. So one day eat 1500, eat 1200 the next, then 1800 the next for example. I think it is just like activity. If you do the same amount of work at the same intensity every workout, you stop seeing the benefits. Not an expert, but give it a try. Also try boosting your intensity when you work out. If you walk for exercise walk at your normal pace for 1 min, then walk as fast as you can for the next and alternate back and forth.
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